Parties discussed the status of a murder defendant who remains hospitalized following his arrest in July.
Rondez Tibbs, 26, is charged with first-degree murder while armed in the shooting of 27-year-old Malcolm Johnson on the 2200 block of Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE, on July 21.
The charge was filed on Aug. 4 but Tibbs has not been able to appear in court for a presentment hearing due to being in the hospital.
During the Oct. 1 hearing, defense attorney Pierce Suen told Judge Neal Kravitz he has not been able to call his client because the phone in the hospital room has been removed.
Judge Kravitz said if Suen continues to be unsuccessful in getting the hospital to provide his client with access to a phone for legal calls, he will issue an order.
“We are talking about a constitutional right here,” said Judge Kravitz.
Judge Kravitz scheduled another hearing for Oct. 29.
